By Sara Strong
Law enforcement in Rock County will start a transition to community policing.
Joint Law partners, the city of Luverne and Rock County, have agreed to enter into a contract with Upper Midwest Policing Institute.
The contract agreement comes after a decision Tuesday in which the County Board voted 3-2 in favor of the concept.
Commissioners Ken Hoime and Ron Boyenga voted against the measure because of the cost and not being fully convinced of the program's merits.
Commissioners Bob Jarchow, Wendell Erickson and Jane Wildung voted in favor of the contract.
Total cost of the contract is $52,900. That includes assessing the department, designing a system for the officers, training the officers, consulting with them and evaluating progress. It also includes travel, lodging and per diems throughout the process.
The cost will be offset by 10 percent through a State Department of Justice grant. And, considering what’'s already budgeted for law enforcement training, Commissioner Bob Jarchow said the county could end up paying less than an additional $20,000.
Boyenga said, "I still think we should see what we can do on our own first."
Commissioner Jane Wildung said people who deal with law enforcement on a daily basis - the sheriff, county attorneys and judge - support the idea.
"The experts in the community who work with the agency support the concept," Wildung said. "And the five of us who don't work with them are questioning it?"
The Luverne City Council voted two weeks ago to start implementing the program with the cooperation of the county.
"I certainly think we are at a time when we owe a response," Wildung said.
The commissioners said they hoped the new philosophy would translate into real results.
The concept of community policing has been around since the late 1970s, and larger cities across the country have implemented its procedures since the '80s.
It is generally considered to be more proactive than reactive to crime. Communication and working with the public is encouraged.
Under community policing, officers will have accountability to following up with crime victims and crime prevention.
One example is that officers will touch base with people who have filed restraining orders even if they haven't reported violations. This will help people feel safer and more open to reporting other incidents to the department. Officers will let complainants know that they are working on cases as they progress.
Community involvement in the new policing can be as much as neighborhood watches or as little as more open communication.
The process of evaluating the department will start immediately with the remainder of the steps in the contract following.
Law enforcement
issues continued
The Rock County Sheriff's Department is bracing for more costs for prisoners housed in the Nobles County Jail, now called the Prairie Justice Center. The $55-per-day cost is increasing to $70 in July and could reach $85 if another increase is started next January.
The contract for service is necessary because Rock County's jail can't house prisoners because of general security problems and other code violations.
The department will also have a noticeable change in its new vehicles. New cars leased by the county will now come in white instead of the current brown.